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Jagmeet Singh captures NDP leadership, hearts

by News Staff

Posted Oct 2, 2017 2:40 pm EDT

Last Updated Oct 2, 2017 at 4:21 pm EDT

The New Democratic Party has just made history with its new leader.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jagmeet Singh is a Scarborough-born criminal defence lawyer, a fluent French and Punjabi speaker and now Canada’s first turban-wearing Sikh to lead a federal political party and sit in Ontario’s legislature.

He took the first ballot on Sunday, with 53 per cent of the vote over top MP rivals Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Guy Caron.

Before the victory, Singh served as Andrea Horwath’s deputy in 2015 and represented Brampton’s Bramalea-Gore-Malton riding at Queen’s Park since 2011.

More recently, Singh is also known for his seemingly cool and collected demeanor – displayed here during a confrontation with an unruly heckler at a campaign event last month.

That confrontation went viral nationally and triggered an uproar of support for the rising star gunning for the federal seat. His message for ‘Love and Courage’ struck a cord with many supporters hoping to see a dynamic change in Canada’s government.

Now that the seat is his, social media is buzzing with reactions as diverse as he is: